Meditating Under The Bodhi Tree

The next morning I slept through the 6am puja held at my monastery's temple.I deserved the extra rest.I also deserved to sit under the Bodhi Tree, alone, for a few minutes of quiet meditation!I made my way to the temple complex around 7am, sat on a stone bench under the tree behind the temple, closed my eyes, and did a short breathing meditation.

After breakfast, I kept myself occupied with reading, writing and music under the ceiling fan in my room.

Around 2pm, I decided to walk the two blocks to see the 25m-high Great Buddha Statue unveiled by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1989.As you get closer to it, you have to remove your shoes.I slipped off my flip-flops to the painful realization that the stone (perhaps marble) path was VERY hot.As I approached the statue, I thought about the walk as mind over matter.Once in the statue's shade, I took a few photos, and headed back.This time, my feet felt like they were on fire, especially on the last few steps over a black section of the path.Hoping for relief, I put on my flip-flops, though in those few minutes, they too had become painfully hot.I was left with no alternative but to douse my feet with mineral water to cool them off.

A few hours later, I headed back to the Mahabodi Temple for one last visit.Near the entrance, I ran into Ramesh, and then a Bollywood movie shoot in full swing.A well-quaffed actor was on a motorcycle while a pretty Indian actress in orange was to be riding in a bicycle rickshaw.The production assistants wielded field hockey sticks to help with crowd control.

After a quick walk through the temple grounds, I invited Ramesh to dinner with me.While I found his presence overbearing at times, he clearly seemed interested in hanging out and helping me, without anything in return (except maybe a new watch or camera if I were to return some day).

I think single travelers are easy for the locals to befriend, whatever their motive (to take you on a tour, extract money, rob you!). He showed me some cards of other travelers he met there as well, so he seemed genuine.

I think single travelers are easy for the locals to befriend, whatever their motive (to take you on a tour, extract money, rob you!). He showed me some cards of other travelers he met there as well, so he seemed genuine.

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